On April 6, 2026, the U.S. Navy took a significant step in strengthening the industrial base that builds and sustains America’s submarines. The Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager (DRPM) for Submarines formally established the Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) Program Office — a dedicated organization focused on growing the supply chain, manufacturing capability, and skilled workforce that the nation’s submarine programs depend on.
For companies like GSM — and for the machinists, welders, and skilled trades professionals who do this work every day — this isn’t just a bureaucratic reshuffling. It’s a signal that the Navy’s investment in this industrial base is structured, sustained, and growing.
Why This Matters
The United States is in the early stages of its largest submarine recapitalization effort in nearly 50 years. The Navy must deliver one Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine and two Virginia-class attack submarines each year, while simultaneously sustaining the existing fleet. Meeting that demand requires a stronger, more resilient industrial base — with greater supplier capacity, advanced manufacturing capability, and a larger skilled workforce.
The SIB Program Office was created to coordinate that effort across four lines of work: supply chain development, advanced manufacturing, workforce development, and strategic outsourcing. The office operates under Rear Adm. Todd Weeks, Director of In-Service and Industrial Base, and reports to Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, Director of Submarine Programs.
The Scale of the Challenge
The numbers underscore why a dedicated program office was necessary. According to the Maritime Industrial Base Program’s 2025 Year-in-Review, the industrial base needs to add more than 250,000 skilled workers over the next decade to meet submarine and surface ship production and sustainment demands. In 2025 alone, coordinated workforce efforts placed more than 14,000 workers with maritime industrial base suppliers, while BuildSubmarines.com generated over 435,000 job applications — a 107 percent increase over the prior year.
Training infrastructure is expanding to match. The Navy’s Advanced Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program opened a new Maritime Training Center with capacity for 1,000 annual graduates. Across the country, 17 active training programs are running maritime-focused curricula with community colleges and regional partners — including programs at Nashua Community College and Manchester Community College that GSM has partnered on directly.
What This Means for New Hampshire
New Hampshire sits at the center of the New England submarine supply chain. GSM produces precision-machined and welded components for both Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines at our facilities in Manchester and Nashua, NH. Our contracts run years into the future. The work is challenging and steady.
The establishment of the SIB Program Office reinforces what we see on our shop floor every day: this work matters, the demand is real, and the Navy is investing to make sure the industrial base can deliver.
For skilled machinists and welders, that investment translates into durable career opportunities — not short-term gigs. The submarine industrial base is built on long production timelines, rigorous quality standards, and the kind of precision work that rewards expertise and craftsmanship.
Where GSM Fits
GSM is one of hundreds of suppliers across the country that the SIB Program Office is designed to support. Through Navy-funded programs like the Precision Manufacturing Boot Camp at Nashua Community College and the accelerated welding program at Manchester Community College — built on SENEDIA-powered curricula — we’re actively building the next generation of skilled manufacturing talent in New Hampshire.
Whether you’re an experienced CNC machinist or welder considering a move, or someone just starting to explore a career in the trades, the submarine industrial base is one of the most stable and purposeful places to build a career right now.
Ready to Learn More?
Photo: U.S. Navy photo